Report card highlights education, healthcare struggles

INDIANAPOLIS (Inside INdiana Business) — A new report from the Indiana Chamber of Commerce suggests while the state’s business climate remains a bright spot, Indiana continues to lag in educational achievement, healthcare and new business formation. The chamber’s Indiana Vision 2025 Report Card says the state dropped to 23rd in the nation for net job creation in businesses that are at least six years old. 

The report, which is the chamber’s fifth in the last decade, compares all 50 states on 70 metrics split into four key areas: Outstanding Talent, Attractive Business Climate, Superior Infrastructure and Dynamic and Creative Culture.

The chamber says Indiana ranks among the top 10 in seven of the metrics and has 10 rankings of 40th or worse. 

Among the high points, Indiana saw a two-year increase of Hoosiers with access to high-speed broadband and mobile connects from nearly 87% to more nearly 93%. Additionally, venture capital investments have risen by nearly 56% over the past three years.

However, the chamber says the state continues to struggle in healthcare, particularly with its adult smoking rate of 19.2%, which is 40th in the nation. Indiana also ranks 37th and 40th for residents with associate degrees and bachelor’s degrees, respectively.

“As we evaluate economic health post-pandemic, thought leaders must not wait for the dust to settle before evaluating the state’s economic vitality,” Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Brinegar said in a news release. “The sooner we identify our strengths and acknowledge our shortcomings, the sooner we can act. Our Report Card findings will serve as a basis for important discussions at a number of regional forums we are facilitating in the next two months.”

You can connect to the full Indiana Vision 2025 Report Card by clicking here.